A Cherished Woman
by Aria E. Seymour
Summary: Downton Abbey Season 1-5 spoilers... This story questions what would have happened in S5E5 if Robert would NOT have come home early from the dinner. It starts with the conversation between Bricker and Cora when he barged into her room and the following events.
"You must leave," Cora pleaded.

"You said yourself 'who knows when I'll be back?'. Don't pretend Cora. You know something's happened between us. You know things have changed now. I feel it and I know you do. When did someone last cherish you? When did someone even listen to you? I've seen you with your family, ignored and passed over ," insisted Simon Bricker.

"None of this is any reason to have a love affair. Lord Grantham treats me well."

"That is a lie and you know it Cora."

"Look, Mr. Bricker, you are a really good friend, but I am not l-"

"We could be more than that, Cora. Think about it!"

Snatching her waist, Simon held Cora close to his body. She immediately tried to shove him away. His grip was too strong. Squirming, Cora still attempted to escape Simon's hold.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

Pinning her arms behind her back, Simon kissed her. Quickly, she turned her face away from his lips. Digging his fingers into her upper arm, he flung her onto the bed. He kissed her still; she tried to get away, but his grip was too strong.

Wrestling with Cora, Simon ripped her nightgown down the seam. Cora screamed and screamed, but no one hears a thing. First he slapped Cora to silence her and then yanked her off the bed only throw her against the wall. The force from the throw knocked down a few pictures on the wall. For a second time he casted her at the wall, but this time she collapsed onto her chiffonier and tipped her jewelry on the ground. Her perfume bottle shattered all over the floor. Cora was limp on the floor beside the broken pieces.

Simon snatched away the remains of Cora's nightgown off her body. He also ripped apart her undergarments and removed his royal blue robe. As she raised herself off the ground, Cora tried to escape for the door. Digging his nails into her arm once again, Simon stopped her and flung her onto the bed. Her cries continue still unheard.

Holding her to the bed by the arms, Simon peered up and down at her naked body. His eyes traveled lower and lower. Covering her mouth and holding her down, he began to rape her. Cora screamed as loud as she could, but her voice was muffled from his hand.

Simon let go of Cora. He slowly back out of her and snatched his robe. As he was putting it on, Cora weakly began to speak.

"That is no way to cherish a woman! My Robert would never do such a cruel thing. You are scum!"

"You wanted it, Cora. Whether you know it or not you did… You do. I just had to show you." These words made Cora hysterically cry as she lay naked on the bed, while Simon whisked out the door.

In the room a few doors down, Edith finally woke up to a strange whimpering sound. Rapidly, she threw on her robe and scurried down the hall. Gently she knocked on the door and pushed in. Her mother was sobbing on the bed. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were scattered around the room.

"Oh my! Mother, what-what happened? Should I send for someone," Edith panicked.

"No. Just find clothes for me, please."

Edith closed the door and opened Cora's closet to find something to put on her. She found a pink and purple robe. She helped her mother put it on.

"Thank you Edith. Let me be, please."

"But this room is a mess!"

"Just call the cops and send them to my room. Right away. Thank you Edith."

Wiping the tears off her face, Cora sniffed trying to be strong. Her head was pounding,; her face was cut; she could feel bruises in the making all over her body.

In the meantime, Robert had come home. He opened the door and saw the room a mess with his beautiful wife shaking out of shock.

"My god, Cora. What happened?" Robert asked surprised.

"Mr. Bricker is not a nice man. Not at all. He raped me Robert. In _our_ bed." Tears formulated in her eyes.

Racing to his wife, he caressed Cora and held her tight. Comfortingly, Robert petted her hair. He thought about his wonderful Cora being raped while he sat adequately in his car. He pondered what his wife had just been through and how he couldn't stop it.

Thinking to himself he said, "this must be what Bates felt like. Helpless."

Cora thought to herself, "how foolish of me not to believe my husband. He tried to protect me beforehand, but I didn't listen. Next time I will."


End file.
